Shotgun shell reloader



March 15, 1966 T. J. BACHHUBER 3,240,104 SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADER FiledJan. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I 4'4 F 4 4 INVENTOR. Z0 72500025 J.(firm/#055 .30 42 22 m,wrbm

ATTOZ/VEYS March 15, 1966 11 J BACHHUBER 3,240,104

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADER Filed Jan. 20', 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '25 I '/ZOIN VEN TOR. 72 500085 J. Zia/408M AMhMJOML A 7' TOEIVEY$ United StatesPatent 3,240,104 SHQTGUN SHELL RELOADER Theodore J. Bachhuber, 725 DatonSt., Mayville, Wis. Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,896 Claims. (Cl.86-39) This invention relates to a shotgun shell reloader.

The present reloader is incorporated in a reloader which is animprovement on that shown in my application Serial No. 167,129, filedJanuary 18, 196-2, now Patent No. 3,157,086. The improvement isconcerned primarily with the actuation of the tool carriage, thecrimping tool, and the die which completes or sets the crimp in thereloaded shell, see also, my Patent 3,'l05,-408, granted October 11,1963.

The spring-supported tool carriage has a handle lever pivoted to thecarriage intermediate its ends. The rear end of the lever continuesbeyond the pivot as a toggle link having pivotal connection with acomplementary link pivoted to the post on which the carriage is guidedfor reciprocation. The crimping tool is movable independently of thecarriage but is constrained by a cam mounted on the handle lever to movewith the carriage for the major portion of the carriage stroke.

The die which sets the crimp in the end of the shell is reciprocablewithin the tubular crimping tool and is connected directly with thecarriage. It becomes subject to great pressure as the toggle linkagestraightens during final carriage movement and at that time the campermits the tubular crimping tool to dwell for the purpose of holding acontinuing but relatively fixed pressure on the annular bead portion ofthe crimp while the central portion thereof is subjected to the pressureof the setting die. The pressure on the setting die becomes very greatdue to the toggle linkage.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a shell reloading device embodyingthe invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view partially in side elevation andpartially in section showing the device of FIG. 1 as it appears with thetool carriage in its elevated position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the carriage in its depressedposition.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view taken in section on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 2.

Since particulars of the manner in which the used shell is recapped andfilled with charges of powder and shot have been shown and described inmy Patent No. 3,105,- 408 and my aforesaid copending application SerialNo. 167,129, and since the present invention is not concerned therewith,the present description will be limited to those features relevant tothe instant invention.

A tool carriage 6 is guided for vertical reciprocation on a post 8 heldin an erect position :by base 10 which also provides a work support ortable 14. A compression spring 12 desirably biases the carriage 6 andthe tools carried thereby away from the table toward the elevatedposition illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Shotgun shells to be reloaded are placed on table 14 with their ferrulesand rims engaged by a notched rotor 16, whereby they may be indexed tosuccessive positions in registry withtools to act successively thereon.Following each advance, the carriage 6 is caused to descend toward thetable to engage respective tools with respective shells. The toolsinclude a creasing die 18, a crimping tool 20, and a crimp setting die30. In each downward movement of the carriage, the creasing die acts onthe shell beneath it and the interior shoulder 22 of the tubularcrimping tool 20 turns inwardly the creased 3,249,1li4 Patented Mar. 15,1966 margins 24 of a shell such as that shown at 26. In the sameoperation, the die 30 sets the crimp.

The crimping tool 20 is not directly connected with the carriage 6 butis floated therefrom on the stem 28 of the crimp-setting die 30 which,in the lowered position of the carriage shown in FIG. 3, completes theshell by compressing the crimped marginal portion 24 against the chargeof shot 32. The die stem 28 is adjustably threaded to a plate or flange34 with which the carriage 6 is provided The reduced upper extremity 36of stem 28 has a screwdriver slot 38 to facilitate adjustment of the dierespecting the carriage and the adjustment is maintained by a lock nut46.

Above the crimping shoulder 22, the tool 20 has a bore 42 in which thedie 30 is fitted. In the ascending movement of the carriage and die 30,the die 30 engages tool 20 at the upper end of the cylindrical bore 42to withdraw the tool 20 from the work. In the descending movement of thecarriage, motion is transmitted to the tool 20 by means presently to bedescribed, whereby the descending tool 20 is held by a yoke 44 in theposition of the parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 notwithstanding resistanceof the shell which is being crimped.

To eifect the movement of the parts as above described, I provide ahandle lever 56 having a grip portion 52 at its free end. The handlelever is bifurcated and its legs 56, 58 are pivotally connected with thecarriage by fulcrum bolts 54.

The respective legs 56 and 58 are extended and elbowed rearwardly of thefulcrum bolts 54 to form a part of the toggle linkage genericallydesignated by reference character 60. The toggle linkage includes upperlink means 62 pivoted at 64 to the upright post 8 upon which thecarriage is guided. The pintle 66 connects the upper link means 62 tothe lower link means 68 which is provided by the upwardly elbowed endportions of the legs 56 and 58 of lever 50.

Mounted on at least one of the lower link means 68, and thereby fixed tothe lever, is a toggle cam 70 having an arcuate surface 72 concentricwith the fulcrum bolts 54 upon which lever 50 is pivoted. The camfurther has a surface 74 of lesser radius. The cam surfaces 72 and 74interact successively with a cam follower roller 76 mounted on the yoke44 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The yoke has bearing surfaces guidedupon stem 28 and the reduced upper extremity 36 thereof as clearlyappears in FIG. 4.

The operation is as follows:

A recharged shell 26 having a margin 24 previously creased by the die 18is in position as shown in FIG. 2 beneath the crimping tool 20. Theoperator presses downwardly on the grip at the free end of lever 50.Because the fulcrum 54 does not coincide with fulcrum 64, theoscillation of the lever effects downward movement of carriage 6 againstthe compression of spring 12. The fixed radial distance of cam surface72 from the axis of fulcrum bolt 54 requires the yoke 44 to move inunison with carriage 6 and the yoke pushes downwardly on the tool 20.Thus, until the crimping operation of tool 20 on the work is complete,tool 20 and die 31 maintain, for a major portion of the stroke of thehandle lever, the relative positions in which they are illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4.

When the shoulder 22 of the crimping tool 20 engages the pre-creasedmargin 24 of shell 26, such margin is turned inwardly 'and crimped overthe charge of shot. Pressure adequate for the performance of thisoperation, and progressively increasing due to the toggle system 60, isstill being transmitted to the tool 20 through the cam 72 and the yoke44, the latter bearing on the upper end of tool 20.

However, as the toggle linkage approaches alignment as shown in FIG. 3,the cam surface 72 rides oil of the cam follower roller 76, which isthereupon engaged with cam surface 74. In effect, this maintainspressure on tool 20 while permitting the tool 20 to dwell, orsubstantially to dwell, in crimping position during continued advance ofthe die 30 with flange portion 34 of carriage 6. Due to the action ofthe toggle linkage, a relatively light pressure on the operating lever50 will produce tremendous die pressure on the crimped end of the shellto complete or set the crimp and to close all crevices, thus sealing thereloaded shell.

As soon as the operator initiates return movement of lever 50 toward theposition of FIG. 1, the die 30 is first drawn into the cylindricalopening 42 of tool 20 and the die thereupon pulls tool 20 from thefinished reloaded and crimped shell 27. Another shell shown at 25, FIG.2, and upon which the creasing tool 18 will have acted during theoperation above described, is now moved into the position of the creasedshell 26 of FIG. 2 by the same movement of rotor 16 which delivers thecompleted shell 27 from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. In a shell reloading device, the combination with a work-supportingtable, of a carriage, means comprising a post projecting above the tableguiding the carriage for reciprocation to and from the table, acrimp-setting die fixed to the carriage for movement therewith to andfrom the table, a crimping tool within which said die is disposed, meanssupporting the tool for movement relative to the die in the direction ofcarriage movement to and from the table, means for actuating thecarriage for the reciprocation thereof to and from the table and forexerting pressure toward the table on tools connected with the carriage,the means for actuating the carriage comprising a lever in pivotalconnection with the carriage and a toggle system comprising links, oneof which is a part of said lever and the other of which is in pivotalconnection with said post, said links being in pivotal connection witheach other, and means for transmitting carriage movement and pressure tothe tool for a first portion of the carriage reciprocation toward thetable and for then relieving the tool of pressure increase, at least inpart, during continued reciprocation of the carriage and die toward thetable, the means for transmitting motion and pressure to the crimpingtool comprising a cam connected with the lever, and a yoke having a camfollower engaged by the cam, said yoke being in motion transmittingengagement with said tool.

2. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a basehaving a work-supporting table, and a carriage-guiding post projectingupwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on said post,tool means carried by the carriage, and carriage actuating meanscomprising a hand lever having an intermediate portion provided with afulcrumed connection to the carriage and having one end portionconstituting a handle and another end portion constituting a link, saidlink having pivotal connection with a separate link which is pivotallyconnected with said post, the said links constituting a toggle leversystem in which said links move toward alignment when said lever isoscillated in a direction to move said carriage toward said table.

3. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a basehaving a work-supporting table, and a carriage-guiding post projectingupwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on said post,tool means carried by the carriage, and carriage actuating meanscomprising a hand lever having a portion provided with a fulcrumedconnection to the carriage and having another portion constituting alink, said link having pivotal connection with a separate link which ispivotally connected with said post, the said links constituting a togglelever system in which said links move toward alignment when said leveris oscillated in a direction to move said carriage toward said table,the tool means carried by the carriage including a crimp setting diehaving a shank portion connected with the carriage and having a die headbeneath the carriage, a tubular crimping tool surrounding the die andhaving a crimping shoulder above which said tool has a cavity in whichthe said head is 'recip rocable, said tool having at its upper end abearing portion guided on the shank of said die between said head andsaid carriage, a yoke having a portion interposed between the upper endof the tool and the carriage, a cam follower mounted on the yoke, a camconnected with said lever and coacting with said cam follower and havingsurfaces for successive coaction with said cam follower, one suchsurface being substantially concentric with the fulcrumed connection ofthe lever to the carriage and another said surface having decreasedradius from said connection as compared with said concentric surface.

4. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a basehaving a shell-supporting table and a carriage-guiding post projectingupwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on the postfor movement to and from the table, tool means mounted in arcuate serieson the carriage for interacting with shells upon the table, means forguiding arcuately for indexing about the post successive shells on thetable to and from positions of registry with successive tools, a togglelever system comprising first link means pivoted to the post above thecarriage and second link means pivoted to the first link means and tothe carriage, the respective first and second link means beingrelatively pivotally movable between a first position in which the saidlink means are at an acute angle to each other and a second position inwhich the said link means approach alignment with each other as thecarriage approaches the table, and an extension of one of said linkmeans comprising an operating hand lever for the operation of saidsystem and the reciprocation of said carriage, the said second positionof said link means being a position in which tool means carried by thecarriage is operating on shells on the table.

5. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a basehaving a shell-supporting table and a carriage-guiding post projectingupwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on the postfor movement to and from the table, tool means mounted on the carriagefor interacting with shells upon the table, means for indexing about thepost successive shells on the table to and from positions of registrywith successive tools, a toggle lever system comprising first link meanspivoted to the post above the carriage and second link means pivoted tothe first link means and to the carriage, the respective first andsecond link means being relatively pivotally movable between a firstposition in which the said link means are at an acute angle to eachother and a second position in which the said link means approachalignment with each other as the carriage approaches the table, and anextension of one of said link means comprising an operating hand leverfor the operation of said system and the reciprocation of said carriage,the said second position of said link means being a position in whichtool means carried by the carriage is operating on shells on the table,the tool means mounted on the carriage including a creasing die foracting on marginal portions of a shell, and a combination crimping tooland crimp setting die, the crimp setting die having a shank inadjustably fixed connection with the carriage and having a head normallyretracted into a cavity with which the crimping tool is provided, thecrimping tool comprising a tubular member having an internal shoulderbelow said cavity constituting means for directing and crimping marginalportions of a shell which have been creased by the creasing die, thetool being reciprocable to a limited extent along the shank of the crimpsetting die, and a yoke interposed between the tool and the carriage andlikewise reciprocable along said shank, a cam follower mounted on theyoke, and a cam connected with the second link means and engaged withthe cam follower and having a first surface concentric with the pivotalconnection of the second link means to the carriage and another surfaceextending from the first surface at a lesser radius, whereby thecarriage is moved toward the table upon actuation by said hand lever inone direction, said cam and yoke pushing the tool ahead of thecrimp-setting die head until the concentric surface of the cam clearsthe cam follower, whereupon the head advances independently of the toolto set the crimp formed by the crimping tool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 BENJAMIN A.BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

2. A SHELL RELOADING DEVICE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH A BASEHAVING A WORK-SUPPORTING TABLE, AND A CARRIAGE-GUIDING POST PROJECTINGUPWARDLY ABOVE THE BASE, OF A CARRIAGE RECIPROCABLY GUIDED ON SAID POST,TOOL MEANS CARRIED BY THE CARRIAGE, AND CARRIAGE ACTUATING MEANSCOMPRISING A HAND LEVER HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION PROVIDED WITH AFULCRUMED CONNECTION TO THE CARRIAGE AND HAVING ONE END PORTIONCONSTITUTING A HANDLE AND ANOTHER END PORTION CONSTITUTING A LINK, SAIDLINK HAVING A PIVOTAL CONNECTION WITH A SEPARATE LINK WHICH IS PIVOTALLYCONNECTED WITH SAID POST, THE SAID LINKS CONSTITUTING A TOGGLE LEVERSYSTEM IN WHICH SAID LINKS MOVE TOWARD ALIGNMENT WHEN SAID LEVER ISOSCILLATED IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID CARRIAGE TOWARD SAID TABLE.